Happy Anniversary, EOSSB. 2007 marks our fifth year of assisting people to achieve control over their lives in Eastern Oregon!

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the Eastern Oregon Support Services Brokerage, email us at info@eossb.org

We will be glad to respond.

For a general description of Support Services in Oregon , check out A Roadmap to Support Services, published by the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Oregon Advocacy Center and the Oregon Department of Human Services - Seniors and People with Disabilities. It is an Adobe Acrobat document.

The July, 2007 Annual report is now available, email us for a hard copy or emailed word document., or click here for an Adobe Acrobat version (requires Acrobat Reader).

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Summary of the amended Settlement Agreement:
Extends the overall Agreement until June 30, 2011. The previous ending date was June 30,2007.

Changes the pace at which people will gain access to services.

For support services (in-home services less than $20,000 per year) the expectation is that:

1,000 people off the waitlist will be enrolled for services during the period of July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2005.

An additional 1,000 off the waitlist will be enrolled for services during the period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2007.

All remaining people on the waitlist and any newly identified eligible people will be enrolled in services during the period of July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009.

During the period of July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 adults found eligible for developmental disability services will continue to be enrolled in support services within 90-days of becoming eligible.

For comprehensive services (out of home 24-hour services or in- home services over $20,000 per year), the expectation is that people will gain access to them on a non-crisis basis according to the following schedule:

20 people during the period of July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2005.

An additional 130 people during the period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2007.

An additional 130 people during the period of July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009.

All other conditions and expectations (eligibility, benefit levels, overall service targets, philosophical, etc.) expressed in the original Agreement are still in effect.

Basic Questions and Answers:

Q. Why was the change in the Agreement made?

A. The Agreement was modified as a direct result of the extreme budget difficulties currently experienced by the State of Oregon. The modification is a way to keep the desired principles and outcomes of the original Agreement intact while being a responsible way to respond to the current budget problems in the State. The modification saves money by extending the pace and timelines in which people will eventually get services.

Q. What is the difference between comprehensive and support services?

A. Comprehensive services are 24-hour services usually provided in out- of-home settings that are licensed or certified by the state. The most common examples are group homes and foster homes. Comprehensive services are also those intensive in-home support services where the annual cost of services exceeds $20,000 per year.

Support services are those that are provided in the person’s own home and are at a cost of less than $20,000 per year. Own home means living on your own, with your family, or with friends in a setting that is not licensed or certified.

Q. What are the benefit levels for support services under this new Agreement?

A. As with the prior Agreement, most people receiving support services can have services costing up to $9,600 per year. Under some extraordinary circumstances funding for services can be provided up to

$20,000.

Q. Am I guaranteed access to services under this Agreement?

A. The Agreement requires the state to provide support services to all eligible adults by June 30, 2009. For comprehensive services, only 300 additional people will gain access under this Agreement. It is anticipated that many more people will want comprehensive services than can be provided, so counties will maintain wait lists as well as a priority for who will gain access to comprehensive services under this Agreement.

Q. How do I gain access to services under this Agreement and where do I get my initial information?

A. Access to services is through the County Developmental Disability Program in the area where you live. If you have a Case Manager, this is the best person to contact to find out specific information about the services available and when they might be available to you.

Q. Does the new Agreement change eligibility for services?

A. No. It is still true that a person is eligible for services if s/he is an adult (over 18 years of age) with a developmental disability as defined by state rules.

Q. What is the impact of this Agreement if I am (or my child is) und 18 years of age?

A. When a person reaches 18 years of age and is determined to have a developmental disability as defined by state rules, this person is eligible for services under the Agreement. As a practical matter, a person in school will not receive services until he/she is no longer eligible for school because of reaching age 21 or 22. So, staying is school is an important strategy. In some situations, people 18 will be eligible for services if they have been in a family support program for over a year.

Q. Will this new Agreement cause the elimination of services to other people with developmental disabilities?

A. No. As with the original Agreement, services to other individuals with developmental disabilities cannot be reduced or eliminated to fund services under the Staley Lawsuit.

Q. Do I have a choice about receiving services?

A. Most certainly. You have the most basic choice as to whether you want to receive support or comprehensive services. Prior to the time services will be offered to you, your case manager will provide you detailed information about services, the conditions of services, your options, and answer any other questions you have so you can decide what is best for you.

Q. If I accept services under this new Agreement, will it impact my access to other services or benefits?

A. If you are going to receive support services, this should not prevent you from getting other general services or benefits such as food stamps, housing subsidies, Oregon Health Plan services, etc. However, since you will have a choice as to whether or not to receive services under this Agreement, you should ask your case manager this question I making your final decision.

Q. Must I be on Medicaid to be eligible for services under this Agreement?

A. No. But benefit levels vary depending on whether you are on Medicaid or not. Generally people who are on Medicaid will have access to higher benefit level than those who are not. This is because being on Medicaid generally provides federal funding in addition to the state dollars available to a person.

Q. What happens after the end date of the Agreement? Will services be lost at that point?

A. It is not possible to forecast exactly what will happen at the end of Agreement period. However, the Agreement calls for the Plaintiffs and the State to get together before the end date and determine what future of the Agreement will be.

Q. How does this Agreement affect me if I am currently in a comprehensive service?

A. If you are currently in a comprehensive service (group home, foster home, etc this Agreement will probably have no impact on the services you are receiving.

Q. How does this Agreement affect me if I am currently in support services?

A. If you are now receiving support services through a Brokerage, this Agreement will not cause changes in the benefit or services levels you have been told you are entitled to.

Q. If I am on the wait list now, how long will I now have to wait? How can I find out my status?

A. This Agreement does extend the time when all people on the wait list must receive support services to June 30, 2009. However, actual access will vary depending on the County in which you live. Your case manager is the best person to contact to find out about when services might be available to you.

Q: Can I get support services and still be on the wait list for comprehensive services?

A. Yes. You can still be on the wait list for comprehensive service you are receiving support services.

Q. How do I get access to the comprehensive services under Agreement?

A. As with all services, access to comprehensive services is through the County Developmental Disability Program in the area where you live. Your case manager is the best contact to find out about the availability of comprehensive services based on your circumstance.

Mission:

The Eastern Oregon Support Service Brokerage represents and supports people with disabilities in Eastern Oregon to achieve control over their lives and to participate in satisfying lifestyles based on the same aspirations as all citizens.

Vision:

We envision a world in which all people with disabilities are competently and consistently supported to be vital and integral members of their community, families, and neighborhoods, and where communities and citizens will see themselves as competent and willing to become involved in the lives of people with disabilities.

Principles of Self-Determination
:

Freedom: People with disabilities will have the ability, along with freely chosen family and friends, to plan their own lives, with necessary support, rather than purchase a pre-packages program.
Relationship to Mission and Vision: People with disabilities (with assistance when necessary) will establish where they want to live, with whom they want to live and how their time will be occupied. They do not have to trade their inalienable rights guaranteed under the Constitution for supports or services. People with disabilities will have the option of using public resources to build a life rather than purchase a pre-determined program. They will be able to control resources through individual budgets. They will make decisions about the kinds of support they receive and the people who will provide that support, and alter the configuration of their supports as their life situations change or as they gain experience in making choices. People with disabilities will be encouraged to dream and be creative in designing the best possible arrangement of their supports.

Authority: People with disabilities will have the ability to control a certain sum of dollars in order to purchase their supports.
Relationship to Mission and Vision: People with disabilities will have meaningful control of available dollars that make their supports possible. When people with disabilities need assistance in controlling dollars and planning their lives, they themselves will decide who will provide that assistance. Anyone helping someone plan their life will be ever mindful of the need to ascertain the real desires and aspirations of the person who chose them to assist. It includes the control over whatever sums of money are needed for one's own support, including the re-prioritizing of these dollars when necessary. This is accomplished through the development of an individual budget that "moves" with the person.

Support and Autonomy: People with disabilities will have the opportunity to arrange resources and personnel - both formal and informal - that will assist them to live a life in the community that is rich in social associations and contribution.
Relationship to Mission and Vision: People with disabilities will have the assistance they need to plan and live their lives. Much of that assistance should come from an informal network of family and friends. People with disabilities should receive the help they need to develop informal relationships and thereby increase their participation in the social, economic, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of their community. People who provide support must have an attitude of "whatever it takes;" that nothing is impossible. "No" as an answer is replaced with "how can this be done?" This means that individuals do not receive "supervision" and "staffing." Rather, people with disabilities may seek companionship for support and contract for any number of discreet tasks for which they need assistance.

Responsibility: People with disabilities will have the opportunity to accept a valued role in a their community through competitive employment, organization affiliation, spiritual development and general caring for others in the community, as well as accountability for spending public dollars in ways that are life enhancing.
Relationship to Mission and Vision: People with disabilities will be able to assume responsibility for giving something back to their communities, for seeking employment whenever possible, for developing their unique gifts and talents, and for assuming the risks associated with the choices they make. They should not be seen and treated as dependent and incapable of being contributing members of our communities. Programs should be structured so that goals, objectives, and regulations meet the needs and aspirations of people with disabilities rather than that of the human service system. People in support roles have a responsibility to insure that the risks taken by someone with a disability are reasonable, safe, and will lead to further growth.

Values:

Dignity and Respect: All people have an inherent right to be treated with dignity and to be respected as a whole person with regards to mind, body and spirit.
Relationships: It is essential to have a support network or circle of friends and family to provide strength and assistance. Helping people develop and maintain relationships is an ongoing process. A myriad of relationships ranging from doctors, hairdressers, and personal care attendants to best friends, family and lovers, allows people to make choices, dream, stay safe and to live the way they want.
Choice: People have the right to choose what they will do with their lives and with whom they will do it. When people need help, it is friends and family closest to them who can provide assistance.
Control: People have the power to make decisions and truly control their lives, including their finances. If services must be purchased, the people buying them, with assistance from friends and family, will determine what these services will be.
Dreaming: All people have dreams and aspirations which guide the actions that are most meaningful to them. A commitment to helping people determine their dreams, respecting those dreams, and helping to make them come true is crucial.
Contribution and Community: Everyone has the ability to contribute to their community in a meaningful way. Giving of ourselves helps us establish a sense of belonging. Opportunities to be truly involved include employment, volunteer work, membership in service clubs, artistic groups, etc.
Fiscal Conservatism: The services the present system provides are expensive and often do not meet the needs of people. If people have choice and control, they will purchase services in a way that will allow them to get what they need, pay only for what they get, make real investments, and spend money more efficiently.
Changing Role of Professionals: The role of the professional must change from working for the system to working for people. Professionals will be instrumental in helping people create more meaningful relationships, introducing them to new places and ideas, linking them with needed supports and services, removing barriers, helping dreams come true.
Whatever it Takes: The present service system is not the only answer in meeting people's needs. Self-determination requires an attitude that nothing is impossible. "No" as an answer is replaced with "How can this be done?"
Governance: All stakeholders must participate in the governance of the system as true and equal partners.
Person Centered Planning: The consumer must be empowered or represented to direct the system through planning centered around him or her as an individual.
Independence: Support brokerages should be independent of any entity that provides services or has multiple responsibilities.